ACS ATHENS ELEMENTARY

THE MUSE

Volume 1, Issue 2 April 2012

Message from the Principal

I reflected on the wonderful exhibitions of learning in the Elementary School as the second trimester came to an end. In this newsletter your will get a glimpse of what was happening in the classrooms and around our school. We can celebrate the positive energy, creativity and enthusiasm that you will find as you read these pages. We are very proud of our children! What a rewarding month March was not only for the Elementary School students but for the staff members, as well! Two wonderful professional opportunities were made available to many of our staff and faculty. The ECIS Early Childhood conference hosted by our school was a wonderful professional development opportunity for the early childhood team. Over 200 educators from around the world attended the conference. A few teachers also attended the NESA conference in Athens. These were an inspiring experience for all that attended. We can not thank our PTO enough for organizing the Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week (March 11-14) culminating with a luncheon not to be forgotten. Your continued support is greatly appreciated. On March 23rd our Greek Language students celebrated with historical sketches, various songs and poems the Independence Day or our host country, Greece. The presentation was warmly received by all who attended. Congratulations to our students and teachers for another worthwhile event. Student-Led Conferences have been scheduled for May 24th and 25th from 9:00 a.m. 3:30 p.m. on both days. Parents will be asked to come in, according to scheduled appointment, on one of the two days to attend a conference led by your child. A letter will be coming home the beginning of May with details about the conferences. Kindly weather children school, students be reminded, as the is getting better and may want to stay after Elementary School can not be on campus without parental supervision. Safety of the children is of paramount importance. Spring Break this year will be from April 6th through April 17th. Plan to spend time with your children guiding them in acquiring positive habits. Museum visits, art exhibitions, nature walks, athletic events, interesting films, popular theatrical productions can be most rewarding for everyone. Enjoy the Spring Break with your family. Sincerely, Cathy Makropoulos Acting Elementary Principal School

Junior Kindergarten News

and please take the time to ask your child all about the animals, the didgeridoo (a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians), the Aborigines dot artwork they created, as well as the Great Barrier Reef and its living creatures! In closing our unit on Australia, we quickly moved into our next unit on transportation. During the next month the children will continue discovering different means of transportation and how we get from one place to another more effectively. We will also be discussing road signs as well as street safety. In addition, two new centers have been introduced in the JK classrooms. Our Dramatic Play Area has been turned into a doctors office, where the children are enjoying role playing the doctor, the nurse, and the patient. We have also created a classroom Post Office! Look for letters being sent home, as your child will be visiting our post office to mail letters friends! to family and

Upon our return f r o m Winter Break, the Junior Kindergarten classes were very busy learning all about Australia. The children spent much time creating wonderful art projects surrounding the various animals and traditions in Australia. They were also given the opportunity to create Anzac Biscuits, an Australian baked good, as we celebrated Australia Day. Look for your childs projects as they come home

Ms. Korinna, Ms. Vasilike, and Ms. Alex The Junior Kindergarten Teachers

Kindergarten News
Celebrations are always funespecially in our Kindergarten classrooms! February has been a month that it is always nice to express love and appreciation for each other. We also celebrated our 100th Day of school. This was a special day in our classrooms in which we focused on math activities involving the number 100. Using various things, we made groups of ten to count up to 100. Some of these activities included: stringing colored-noodles to make a 100 Day Necklace, selecting 100 different types of edible treats, making colorful hats with 100 dots. What fun we all had honoring this special day! We had a wonderfully productive day celebrating our 100 days of hard work and fun. We are proud of each and every one of our children. Ms. Anna and Ms. Ashley

full of celebrations. On Valentines Day we passed out cards that we made at home. Everyone went home with a heart-envelope bulging with valentines and huge smiles on their faces! We all agreed

1st Grade News

This has been a very special month from Bake Sales to Valentines Day to the 100th Day of School celebration, and lastly a celebration of learning with our Mad Scientist Special Sharing Investigations. With all this said and done, we are looking forward to our new unit, with our noses to the ground and green thumbs ready for our Plant unit entitled Reach for the Sun. Please feel free to send in any packets of seeds that need planting as well as any potted plants/flowers as our classrooms will be transforming into Greenhouses before our very eyes! We are looking forward to meeting with you during Parent-Teacher conferences preceding Spring Break

Your Dedicated First Grade Team We would like to thank you all for your dedicated efforts in helping us raise an amazing 700 of Bake Sale money. 100 worth of medicine will be donated to The Friends of Animals Shelter and another 100 will be donated to the Turtle Rescue Center.

2nd Grade News

Second graders have been learning all about Caretta Caretta Turtles and more about specific locations in their country, Greece! Students have been focusing on double digit addition and subtraction strategies during math studies. They have been looking at horizontal equations and learning strategies to add or subtract them mentally. They have also started vertical addition with regrouping. The second graders have been working on how to explain their thinking in writing. Instead of just solving a problem they have to be able to write out how they solved it and the process of their thinking. Our reading unit focuses on working on building comprehension and reading fluency strategies through author studies; such as Chris Van Allsburg and Mike Thaler. Students are reading in groups, as a class, and individually. After reading they are writing about what they read. They are beginning to focus more on identifying main idea of a story or passage. They are also looking at vocabulary used by the authors and using context clues to figure out the meaning of words they dont know. This is strengthening their critical thinking capabilities in order to make logical references and connections to texts. In writing the students are learning how to write a research paper on their favorite place in Greece. Students are learning how to investigate information on particular child friendly search engines such as Choosito, identify important details, interpret text in their own words and write multiple paragraphs on the same topic. As well as the research paper, students are expanding on writing details in their narrative stories. We are working on word choice through the use of strong verbs and adjectives and learning that a writers voice is used to tell a story in an engaging manner. As with all writing assignments, students are always working on the conventions of writing. They are using complete sentences when writing during reading, math, and social studies. Through all this they are simultaneously working on proper tenses and trying to have accurate grammatical structures throughout their writing assignments. Your Second Grade Team

3rd Grade News

Brrr! It has been a cold few months. Good thing 3rd grade has been busy, busy, busy! In reading we have been focusing a lot on fluency; being able to read a text accurately, with appropriate rate, and with expression. In reading workshops, students have been practicing the skills we have worked on independently. Our new workshop style teaches kids to be responsible for their own learning. There has been a drastic increase in our kids motivation to read! Writings focus is currently on the narrative genre with an emphasis on creative story telling. Students are working to tell stories using the elements of character, setting, problem and solution. Our new math unit is really taking shape! Ha! We have been looking at geometry in depth. There are a large number of new vocabulary words that can be tricky, so we are taking our time to make sure students have a firm understanding of the concepts and terms. We have learned about community, conflict, and most recently China during our science and social studies time. We are looking up towards the sky as our next unit blasts off into outer space. Keep reading those books every night and we look forward to another great trimester! The 3rd Grade Team

4th Grade News

In the month of February we completed a variety of activities. These included science experiments, MAP testing, Valentine card exchanges, completing writing prompts and learning about fractions. The 4th grade transformed their classrooms into rainforests as we began our study of South America. In this social studies unit we will be studying the different cultures of South America, migration, landforms and ecology. styles and research skills. Our main focus as we move along in the area of writing is to expand and develop our ideas from simple phrases and notes. This is a challenge for many of our students! In order to help your child please encourage him or her to read books of all genres and to have a thesaurus handy during the time he or she is writing. The February genre was biography and in March the 4th graders will be reading folk tales, legends and myths for their book reports. In math, our students are working on Fractions. Please help them learn the terminology and encourage them to find fractions in their daily lives. Dont forget: Math is everywhere! Through our study we will continue to develop our writing Coming Soon . . . Our 4th graders will be preparing for a Readers Theater. The focus for readers theater is reading fluency and expression. We are looking forward to a great performance!

The Fourth Grade Team

5th Grade News

It has been a very exciting time as fifth graders prepare for their original play production, The Homecoming Heroes. Students have been learning about the many tasks that are necessary to create a theater production. They have helped make props, and design scenery and sets. Each student has become an actor or an actress and has adopted the role of a unique character on stage. Fifth graders learned songs and dances to accompany their parts also. We thank our colleagues, friends, and parents who have generously given their time to work with our students in this special project. We couldn't do it without you! Besides investigating the theater, fifth graders are reading Greek Mythology and studying Ancient Greek History. Students have written essays, summaries, and literature responses to enhance their learning. Students have been constructing organized, well-composed paragraphs supported with important facts and details. During writing sessions students have been reviewing grammar rules as well as tips for writing correctly and clearly. Students have frequent invitations to write in a variety of styles and genres. Students worked hard on the previous Geology unit. A highlight of this unit has been the PowerPoint presentations on the different geology topics designed by groups of students working together. The finished product will be shown as part of Student Led conferences. The fifth grade will begin reading The Lightening Thief for the next literature book. We are all hard at work, as Middle School will soon be here! The Fifth Grade Team

Optimal Learning News

The past months have been very busy for us in the Optimal Learning Program. During December, our students spent considerable time writing articles for the ACS Athens Blue & Gold publication. They were all quite excited to see their work in print. In January we reassessed many of our students reading with Running Records and were pleased by the progress they have made. Our students are reading with greater fluency, they are making fewer errors and are self-correcting with greater accuracy. In February, a portion of our time was given to MAP testing. Students in the OL Program benefit from the quieter environment and the pace of the OL room when taking these standardized tests. We look forward to continued growth and success. Sarah Kaldeli Lia Sinouris Optimal Learning Program

News from the Art Room

Its been an incredible couple months in the art room; you should see the amazing work our students have been doing! Kindergarten through second grade artists have been studying different artists from around the world, making collages, painting and learning about the color wheel. Weve had so much fun using the primary colors to mix new colors; its like magic! All kindergarten artists know how to use the color wheel as a tool to help them learn about color and they know how to make orange, green and violet. First graders can tell you the importance of the primary colors, identify the secondary colors and find warm and cool colors in their environments. They understand the different feelings and emotions that warm and cool colors bring to a piece of art. Second grade artists reviewed the element of color and have also taken a look at complimentary colors. They studied their importance, taken a look at how they occur in nature and how famous artists use them in their artwork. Second graders are now beginning to study the difference between realistic and abstract art. While making nonobjective paintings Ive seen a number of the students using what they recently learned about color! Third grade reviewed a few tips on how to draw realistic facial features. After reviewing this and being introduced to Cubism, they created Picasso inspired portraits. Next, to supplement what third grade learned about Plains Indians in their classrooms, students wrote brief stories about themselves and created symbols to represent their words. They did a great job putting it all together on a large piece of aged brown paper to make art that resembled the Plains Indians buffalo hide paintings. Fourth grade amazed me with their final optical illusion drawings. Students were able to use line and coloring techniques to create value in their artwork that made a flat piece of paper look three-dimensional. Once finished, they studied how artists use color in art to express emotion. They gave it a try by painting hearts in honor of Februarys virtue of the month, Love. Now fourth grade students are half way through creating a three-dimensional self portrait collage. I cant wait to see how they turn out! Fifth grade was busy in the art room preparing background scene paintings that were projected during the fifth grade play. Each student made at least one background scene for the act they were in. It was wonderful to see that many of them used what they learned earlier in the school year about perspective and foreshortening. The paintings really helped the play come alive. Bravo fifth grade on a terrific performance! After the play students completed stunning paintings of birch trees using a unique painting technique; they painted with paper rather than a paintbrush! Next up, students began studying the designs and purpose of Ndebele House Paintings in South Africa. Soon they will create their own. All students K-5 helped create a large mural dedicated to the dreams of Martin Luther King Jr. Each class learned about his life, dreams and accomplishments. All students were given a word to write and decorate from Dr. Martin Luther Kings I Have a Dream speech. Over 600 words were displayed together to make out a portion of his famous speech. The powerful display was hung in the cafeteria for all to enjoy. I have dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Congratulations to Novembers Art Class of the Month, 3rd grade, Mr. Perroni . Decembers winner was 5th grade, Ms. Kynigous class. Januarys went to fifth grade, Ms. Coklas class! Its been a close race every month with all classes trying their best while in the art room. Ms. Jones, Art Teacher

ESL News
The pace is picking up as we move into our last trimester and the students are moving right along! As this second trimester is coming to a close, I am noticing marked improvement in the students communication and comprehension! In the first grade, we have been focusing on short vowel phonics as we study word families. As they improve their decoding skills, their fluency and comprehension are showing greater gains! With the second, third, and fourth grade students the focus has been on developing basic vocabulary based on content they are studying in their homerooms. Interwoven in these content-based lessons, we are furthering reading comprehension by focusing on skills needed to break down the meaning of text: identifying main idea and details, asking and answering questions, and summarizing. In addition, they have been broadening their knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary as we have studied homophones, adjectives and adverbs, and continue to work on other parts of speech. Also, 3rd-5th graders have been learning a new, challenging vocabulary word each week that will help them expand their vocabulary and lively up their writing. Try asking them what the Word of the Week is and if they can tell you what it means! Please continue encouraging your child to practice their English outside of school! Reading a book in English together is a great way to familiarize your child with old and new words while also working on comprehension. The internet has some fantastic resources and fun activities that can provide additional English support! Here are several websites ranging different levels: www.starfall.com, and www. pbskids. or g, www.funbrain.com.

I am thrilled with the progress students have made and I am excited to see continued growth in their abilities to more fully understand and communicate their ideas in English. Way to go! Ms. Schulz ESL Teacher

News from the Computer Lab!

Our kindergartners are outstanding!! They have used programs to support learning the alphabet, numbers/counting, and drawing. With the help of the program Tux Paint, they have been drawing pictures then sounding out and writing sentences to explain their picture! First grade students have started using Microsoft Word to display their writing skills and the website www.starfall.com to work on their reading. We also encourage our f i r s t g ra d e rs t o l o g in t o www.xtramath.com from home for extra math practice. Second grade students have been using a variety of computer applications. In connection with their weather unit they wrote terminology, inserted pictures, saved and opened their own files with Microsoft Word. In addition to word processing they were also introduced to internet research. With the help of www.choosito.com, a safe search engine, our students looked for information on a special place in Greece and on sea turtles. Our third grader students were introduced to the basics of PowerPoint which they used to make a presentation on different types of rocks. They also dabbled into the world of computer animation where they created their own animations such as flowers growing and people jumping! Third graders also worked on two web quests. These web quests enriched their learning about Native American Indians and China! They are also vigorously practicing their keyboarding skills. Fourth grader students used a combination of PowerPoint and web quests to enhance their learning of land forms and on states and regions of the United States. They are using the website www.arcademis.com to boost their math skills and Type to Learn to practice their keyboarding skills. Fifth grade students are learning about online etiquette and safety for email and messaging. They also used a w e b q u e s t f r o m www.choosito.com to find information and to put together a power point presentation for their geology unit. While looking for information they learned a very important skill which is web site evaluation. It is important that they learn how to filter through their findings during their searches on the internet. Bravo to all of our students!! Ms. Sarantes Computers Teacher

News from the Music Room

Music is a way of expressing oneself and applies to all ages! During lessons, students are guided through the learning of the basic ideas of music. They listen, learn, compose and perform music from different parts of the world and of different styles. They are encouraged to use a number of tuned and untuned percussion instruments. Kindergarten continue to explore various ideas of music through a number of games and activities. Kinesthetic learning is largely used in music lessons. Students are encouraged to utilize the music vocabulary they learn. The introduction of notes and use of unturned percussion instruments are some of the latest developments in the classroom. Their presentation during the Winter Concert was met with great success. Kindergarten students are currently preparing for a performance during the Early Childhood Conference on the 16th of March 2012. First grade students continue to develop their rhythmic and melodic skills through the use of tuned and untuned percussion instruments. Musical games, songs, and group work are part of every lesson. Students are also encouraged to use their creativity and express themselves in a musical way. Their presentation during the Winter Concert was met with great success. First grade students prepared for a performance during the Early Childhood Conference on the 16th of March 2012. Second grade students have been working on Gamelan music. Through this all students have been expanding their music vocabulary and their understanding of another culture. Through their learning of Indonesian music they have also been introduced to new instruments (xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiel) and new playing techniques. Their presentation during the Winter Concert was met with great success. For this reason second grade students were invited for a repeat of their African musical performance during the Early Childhood Conference on the 16th of March 2012. Third grade students have been developing their recorder skills and their understanding of traditional notation. Group work has also been at the core of music lessons. Students are learning how to work successfully in groups and how to solve problems. Their presentation during the Winter Concert was met with great success. Well done to all involved! Fourth grade students have been developing their recorder and music notation skills. Fourth grade students have been developing their recorder and music notation skills. Understanding of note names and values are now part of their day to day learning of music. Students are also developing the skill of working successfully in groups with their peers. Playing in two part harmony and the learning of musical devices such as the ground bass have also been part of their learning and development as musicians. Their presentation during the Winter Concert was met with great success. Well done to all involved! Fifth grade students worked very hard on preparing the songs and choreography for the 5th grade play. In music lessons they have also been working on Russian music. They have learned the vocabulary, playing techniques, and musical devices that relate to the music of Russia. The students understanding of the theory of music, and the development of their instrumental skills have also been part of their music education during this trimester. Their presentation during the Winter Concert was met with great success. Well done to all involved! Ms. Apostolou, Music Teacher

News from the Greek Classes

Greek classes learned about Apokkries (Greek Carnival) and the customs that take place during this time. They also prepared for the Greek Independence Day celebration. The Elementary School performance took place at the ACS Arts Center, on March All grades (JK-5) 23 rd. performed on stage. Congratulations to all our students for a wonderful performance!! In the months of January and February: Greek Language A classes (Greek native and near-native speakers): Students in grades 3-5 started to work on their history books: 3rd grade Odyssey, 4th Persian Wars and Ancient Athens (Golden Age) and 5th grade Byzantine history. They have also been working on various writing activities and grammar units (i.e. 10 parts of speech, verb-endings and tenses). Our JK students have worked on the units: Opposites, Shapes, Numbers, Fairy Tales and learned fun songs. KG students have completed their first alphabet book from A to and have learned a poem/song for each letter. They are now working on their second alphabet workbook. In grade 1, students are progressing in reading and writing. In grade 2, students have been working hard in Greek grammar completing the 10 parts of speech. They have also read many interesting stories and poems in their . Greek Language B classes (nonnative speakers): Our KG students practice writing and recognition of Greek letters. They are covering the units on Colors, Fruits, Vegetables, Numbers and Animals. In grade 1, students are working on the letters of the alphabet through phonetic vocabulary, writing activities and relevant games. In grade 2, students continued working on letters, words formation and vocabularies through games and stories. Also, they have been working hard on reading and spelling. In grade 3, students cover the units Food, the Wild Animals, the Domestic Animals, Numbers, Body parts, Means of Transportation. Students have been working hard on Greek grammar (Verbs and ). Also, they continued working on writing, reading and listening (spelling tests, reading books, videos from y-tube-memory games-) In grade 4, students covered the units Weather, Animals of the Forest, Animals under Extintion. Also, they have been working hard on reading and spelling. Also we focus on speaking through role playing and presentations in the classroom. In grade 5, students acquired four more grammar units (The definite article , , the personal pronoun, plural type of the nouns, Present simple). They also practice listening through real life situation dialogues or videos. Well done to all our hardworking students! The Greek Languge Team

News from the Arabic Classes

The Arabic classes have been busy working on their curriculum and doing their best in every level. KG students have already completed the alphabet in Arabic and will start reviewing the letters in their new alphabet book. In first grade students are excited working in their new textbook and have started to read paragraphs and to fill in sentences correctly. Our second graders are reading short stories and answer reading comprehension questions in writing. In grade three, along with reading, students are focusing on grammar, writing sentences and spelling. Our fourth and fifth graders have done a great job reading stories, spelling new vocabulary and working on challenging grammar activities. Well done for all the effort and progress. Ms Lamia Accari Arabic Teacher

BUSY BEES IN P.E.

play. The 5th grade students were so dedicated and determined to learn all of the choreography involved in their play production. They were learning and composing various steps to accompany their different musical pieces. We had a ton of fun working together and Uniting our creative ideas so to comprise a final masterpiece. All students, K-5, were also involved in various cooperative games in the unit entitled Project Adventure. Through the activities, the students learned life values and skills such as: trust, risk taking, cooperation, team work, collaboration, creativity, responsibility, safety, and confidence. They also learned about adapted physical education and the challenges physically challenged people may face. The unit provided students with the necessary knowledge needed to promote the product of behavioral change. are shaping their sportsmanship attitude and behavior by noting that it takes more than one person to make a team. The students are continuously being challenged to open up their horizon and see how many different and unique sports are played all around the world. This is even further happening in grades 3-5 as they are performing a wall climbing unit. I would like to thank my assistant in wall climbing, Ms. Erin Miniotis, as she is helping us achieve and master all the necessary and personal goals we have set for ourselves. I am so glad that students are willing to test new ideas out, and I am even happier it is with me! Other news Swimming through Elementary P.E. for grades 1-5 will begin on March 26th. Please check out the information posted on our website under Elementary School Swimming Guidelines, 2012, or be on the lookout for letters coming home with your child/ children. Lets all celebrate as we are all so busy in the P.E. classes, and the students are doing an outstanding job! So please come out and show us your support by attending all of our magical events, or by watching one of our broomball games! You can even come and watch us wall climb! Get ready for more energized and spirited shows, and celebrate our healthy mind, bodies, and souls! I thank you all for the support. Ms. Salouros, P.E. Teacher

Basketball in P.E. All across the nation Theres a basketball sensation That makes you want to slide And move from side to side Come on, lets rock Come on, lets roll Lets boogie on down to the other side of town Lets turn this game upside down! Yes, you have guessed it! It was basketball season in the elementary school. Students, grades K-5, learned all about chest passes, fouls, rebounds, traveling, etc. They were eager to learn the rules and regulations involved in basketball, and they wanted to showcase them on the court! Basket basket We want two! Get that ball Take it away We want two! Choreography Please! Listen to the sound, To the sound of the beat Listen to the sound, To the sound of our feet It goes, GO, PERFORM, AND WIN! Music and dancing feet were also seen and heard during P.E. class since more productions came your your way! One of these productions was the 5th grade

Students, K-5, are now playing the fast and furious game of broomball. They have been acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills needed to play broomball, and they have begun to see the connection between eye and hand coordination. Furthermore, students are realizing even more the necessary value of teamwork. Character education is an essential part of sports, and students are